Rising Moon (The Rune Stone Trilogy)

by Anne Haley

  Terra sniffed at El and raised her cup to take a sip, and instead sucked in a mouthful of petals. She coughed them out and El was roaring. "El!" Terra grabbed a handful of the purple petals and threw them at El.

  "Just proving a point." The petals disappeared in mid air, just before landing in El’s perfectly groomed hair.

  In the middle of that afternoon Terra ran the entire way from her house to Aylin’s again. Even though she had left their house only a few hours ago, she knew that she couldn’t wait to talk to her friends. Aylin and El were at the front door when Terra shut the gate behind her. "Terra?" Aylin opened the door. "Something is wrong." She frowned.

  "Blake just called." Terra was out of breath from running. "It’s Mom. Not well." She was shaking her head.

  "Come inside." El said holding the door open.

  Terra collapsed in the first chair she could find. Aylin sat on the ottoman in front of her and El stood a few feet away. "He said that she isn’t eating and the doctors don’t know what is wrong with her. She’s in and out of consciousness. He said she looks terrible."

  Aylin watched Terra for a few moments. She could feel the pain in Terra’s heart, and it made her own go out to her. "Okay. What do you need to do?" Aylin asked calmly.

  "Aylin, I have no choice, my mother is so ill. Blake says…" Terra choked up, not able to finish.

  "Terra," Aylin took her hands and gave them a gentle squeeze. "Do not apologize. This is your mother. You don’t have a choice to make, I ran to my mother’s side when she needed me. It’s as simple as that. Family always comes first. Be there for your family."

  "Thank you for understanding," Terra whispered.

  "Honey, just because we aren’t normal doesn’t mean we don’t have hearts. If it were my mother I’d be on the first plane out of here," El said.

  "What about the witches?" Terra asked quietly, looking from one to the other.

  "Just remember your purpose when the time comes for you to step away. We’ve all felt the threat to the elements. El and I think we can keep it at bay for a little while. We might have some tricks up our sleeves to keep them distracted for the time being. If for some reason you need to get a message to us and you can’t use the phone, you can go back to the old way."

  "Mail you a letter?" Terra raised an eyebrow.

  "Well, in a sense, yes. Put your message in a jar and bury it in the earth. We will get your message, and you’ll know when we do."

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Three Months Later

  The last weekend in September brought cooler weather and hints of autumn colors of yellows, rust, and deep reds that had become visible. The grass was still green and some of the leaves began to turn brilliant reds and yellows. Aylin’s gardens were full of mums ranging in every color from deep purple to sunny yellow. They were the only blooming flowers she left in the garden. Soon she would bring in gourds and pumpkins in all sorts of sizes and scatter them throughout.

  She hadn’t brought the autumn colors inside her home yet, but she allowed the smells to come in. Her house smelled of cinnamon, cloves, and warm fresh apple confections from El’s nonstop baking and cooking. Both of them were becoming increasingly restless from not hearing from Terra. Since she had left, the island had remained quiet. There weren’t any attacks in their dreams or lurking fog in the woods.

  Most of the tourists had left at the end of the summer. The hot summer had brought in even more people this year wanting to escape to the beaches. The Lilac Tree had a very good summer with business, gaining Aylin a nice cushion to sustain for the winter. Jordan was pleased with the hefty bonus for all the long days and six day work weeks that Aylin hadn’t asked her to do. Jordan was a hard, diligent worker who knew when she needed to pull some extra weight without being asked. It made Aylin’s life easier.

  "Ow! Son of a-" Eliana yelped in the backyard.

  "What happened, El?" Aylin called out the kitchen window.

  "Stubbed my toe," Eliana grumbled. The cooler weather didn’t change her attire because El hardly ever felt cold. She wore only a magenta tube top and denim shorts.

  Aylin sighed and stepped out the door, dressed appropriately in loose denim jeans and a long sleeved knit top. Standing on the stoop with a hand on her hip she said, "You know, just because you don’t feel the cold doesn’t mean you walk around barefoot all the time. Protect those manicured toes." She raised an eyebrow. "What did you stub it on?"

  "A glass jar, half buried." Eliana smirked.

  "What?" She stepped down to the bottom step.

  "Looks like paper inside it." El leaned down, squinting at the Mason jar.

  "Pull it out!" Aylin ran to her side. "Is it Terra?"

  Eliana wiggled the jar out of the dirt and unscrewed the lid. "Oh, smell that?" She moved the jar closer to her face and inhaled. "Midwest air, if you ask me." She handed the jar to Aylin.

  Aylin plucked the folded paper out and quickly opened it. It read:

  Aylin and El,

  I have missed you two! Mother is doing so much better. I feel like I’ve become stronger, I’ve been practicing in the woods and I can now conjure up plants. Unfortunately they aren’t what I think they will be, so I still need some work.

  But I need your help. There have been a few times when I’ve been in town that I walk by someone and the hair on the back of my neck stands up. Not good, right? I think the same group of witches that were on the island have come to Lancaster Bay. There is something else too. I think there are other faeries around here. From a distance I swear I have glimpsed distinct glowing faeries.

  What should I do? Do I try to approach them?

  Terra

  Aylin looked at El. "It’s time we left our island."

  "You know, that’s okay. We need a change of scenery anyway. Maybe you can have more time with that yummy Blake," El said and nudged Aylin with her elbow.

  "Yes, I haven’t yelled at anyone for awhile." Aylin scowled at her. "Come on, let’s let her know we got her message." She brought her hands together, forming a cup. El did the same next to her and then they turned to face the woods. El closed her eyes and Aylin blew lightly into her hands. A ball of light appeared in their hands. Once it was the size of a golf ball she parted her hands and watched it soar into the woods.

  Terra sat on her deck facing the woods, wrapped in a heavy sweater. Nighttime was so cool now that she dressed in layers. Sipping on her hot tea, she closed her eyes enjoying the long needed peace and quiet. It had been a busy day in her mother’s bookstore and even more work to avoid Blake. She had become very good at deflecting his persistent questioning all summer. Ever since she had come home he had tried to act as if he were happy that she had come back. But there was still tension between them when they did talk.

  Arriving home she had found her mother in very poor health. Blake had talked the doctor into letting him take her home, promising he would take care of her. He thought she would heal faster at home than the sterile confines of the hospital. To his surprise he had to argue with her because she didn’t want to go home and be alone. By the time the argument was settled she had manipulated him into staying with her until Terra was home. The day after Terra came home her mother ate her first meal. The first couple of weeks Terra stayed with her mother in the apartment over the bookstore, making sure she had someone nearby and waiting on her. She continued to eat, and she began to gain some weight back, and the color returned to her cheeks. Terra was convinced that her mother’s illness had been psychological. It was too coincidental that this illness happened after she ran away and Blake came after her. When Terra had left Lancaster Bay her mother had been in perfect condition. However, she kept this theory to herself all the while hoping that she wasn’t the reason.

  But then she began noticing unusual things happening around her. She had been startled to see a few faeries in this small town. They sensed her too and would give her a nod or a smile. None of them approached her, but they knew what she was. It had unsettled her enough to send a
message to Aylin and El. She didn’t know if she should be on full alert or not. Ever since she left Willoughby Island, she could feel the physical distance that lay between them, and it left her feeling vacant.

  She took a deep breath and heard quiet thrumming. It was like dozens of hummingbird wings. She opened her eyes and gasped. Her backyard was completely lit by small lights, twinkling red and blue. She stood up and ran down her steps to the yard. When she stood in the grass the lights circled her, dancing all around her. She giggled and put her hands out. A few of them landed in her palms and she could feel their heat. "They got my message!" she squealed.

  Then the lights stopped moving, frozen in midair, and then they soared into the forest so fast that they blurred into streaks. "Wait!" she called after them, but she heard the car door in her driveway.

  "Terra?" Blake called to her. "What are you doing out there in the dark?"

  She felt like pouting, but instead she only sighed and turned to him. "Nothing. Just thought I saw something is all."

  Aylin and El flew into the Minneapolis airport and rented a SUV to drive over four hours north to Lancaster Bay. El refused to let Aylin drive because the ride from Minneapolis to Duluth wasn’t terribly interesting to her. They stayed on the main highway and it was lined with woods. There were truck stops and gas stations sprinkled around the exits every once in awhile. Her interest sparked when they crested a hill that overlooked Duluth. "Look at that," El whistled in the driver’s seat.

  Duluth is nestled into the hills that meet Lake Superior. The highway skirted around an industrial harbor. "Is that what I think it is?" Aylin pointed to a mountain of black shiny dirt.

  "Sure looks like iron ore to me." El nodded.

  "I think Terra forgot to mention that when she told us about her hometown," Aylin frowned.

  The lake disappeared from their sight when they got closer to downtown. They passed through tunnels and the traffic was heavy making Aylin feel claustrophobic after being on the near deserted highway. El exited off onto the scenic highway that narrowed down to a single lane, following the shoreline of the lake. The houses seemed to be built close together, hugging the shoreline. "How far is it from here?" Aylin asked El.

  "Another two hours north of here, about." Soon they were out of sight of Duluth. The shoreline was filled with lodges and cabins advertising rentals available, obviously a busy tourist area. Majestic cliffs rose and fell away from the massive lake, not unlike the bays at home.

  When they finally came upon Lancaster Bay the sun was low in the sky, disappearing behind the Sawtooth Mountains. They were cresting a hill when the town and vast lake spread out endlessly before them. Lancaster Bay made Duluth look like a booming metropolis. The only road into town was Highway 61. El turned off on Shore Road, which headed out onto Big Bay Point. Circling the point was a marina filled with sailboats and hungry seagulls. Older brick and weathered wood buildings held the few stores on the point.

  Homes were scattered on the rising hill, just barely visible through the trees, on the other side of the main highway at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains. There were many people walking through town, lingering in front of storefront windows, holding small paper shopping bags and steaming Styrofoam cups. "Reminds me of home," El muttered.

  "I half expect to see my floral shop around the corner," Aylin nodded. She rolled down the window, surprised by the blast of cool air.

  "Wow, is that from the lake?" El frowned at the draft. The sun was warm through the window giving them the impression it was one of the last warm days of summer, but the cool air had Aylin reaching for her hooded zip up shirt.

  "I think so," Aylin nodded. "The bookstore should be down here somewhere." She pointed across the highway, away from the lake. They stayed on Shore Road, which curved around the point, meeting Highway 61 again, and once across it, they drove slowly, looking down each street for the bookstore sign. They only passed two blocks when El slammed on the brakes.

  "There it is!" El pointed out her window. The store was an old building with gray siding and white trim. The front windows were lined with flower boxes and large pottery pots were posted on either side of the door. A painted wooden sign hung above the door, with Bronson Books written in large white letters. "Go ahead, I’ll find a parking spot," El said when she looked into the rear view mirror and saw two cars waiting patiently behind them.

  Aylin walked into the bookstore and watched Terra helping an older woman with some books. The store was packed with books. Four round tables were squeezed into the front area, displaying art books and new releases, and the back half of the store was lined with tall bookcases. The register area was on the left against the wall. When they were finished the older woman turned and walked out, Terra never looked up at her. She was writing things down in a notebook. "Hello Terra," Aylin said.

  It gave Aylin a warm feeling in her heart when first Terra’s hands froze, and her eyes slowly rose to meet Aylin’s. Her jaw slacked slightly, then formed into a smile. "Aylin!" Terra jumped off her stool and ran around the counter. "You’re here!" She threw her arms around Aylin’s neck.

  Aylin breathed in Terra’s scent, which was earthy and a little spice. "I have missed you, even though we didn’t have much time together before." She pulled away to look down to her.

  "I know. I feel the same." Terra smiled up at her, her golden eyes eager. "Is El with you too?"

  "Yes, she is in the car." She pointed out the door.

  "Thank goodness. There have been strange things happening," she said quietly.

  "You can fill us in tonight." Aylin nodded.

  "Yes, I will. I am going to close up and you can come home with me. You will be staying with me?" She raised an eyebrow.

  "If that suits you. Otherwise we can go to the hotel."

  "No, you can stay with me. I mean, how long are you staying?"

  Aylin smiled, already knowing the answer, but she didn’t know how to tell Terra. It had been a feeling that she had since they left Willoughby. It was seeded deep in her heart, heavy and a little morbid. "I don’t know." She shrugged.

  Terra looked at her a moment too long, she knew Aylin lied to her. But she brushed it off. "Let me lock up and I’ll meet you outside."

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  They followed Terra’s jeep out of downtown, climbing the steep hill rising away from the lake. They hadn’t gone far when the road made a gentle curve, and a few cabins were barely visible through the trees. She pulled into a driveway lined with a log wall that protected it from the steep incline of the lawn. A long wooden stairway led from the driveway up to the front door. Built as a sprawling rambler, the house had dark wood siding and a bright red front door. An addition at some point gave the house an ample living space.

  Terra led them into a tiny entryway that opened to the living room. The furniture arranged around a large stone fireplace had a hand crafted look. The couch had overstuffed cushions and the two chairs on either side of the fireplace had worn leather seats and backs. A leaf quilt and fuzzy yarn throws softened all the wood in the room.

  Terra walked them around to the right, into the dining room. It was a long narrow room that held a table large enough to be a picnic table. A swinging door off the dining room led to the kitchen and to an outside door that opened onto a deck. "Terra, this is a nice home." Unlike the house Terra had on the island, this home was full of personality. Frames cluttered the bookshelves, books were neatly stacked everywhere they would fit, and bits and pieces of Terra’s life was evident everywhere. Aylin approved. "It looks like it belongs in the middle of the woods."

  "Before my family moved here my grandfather used this as a cabin. My dad and uncle lived here after college. Once dad got married he built a new house, using this for guests that came from out of town. When he died he had left it to me." Terra shrugged. "It made Blake pretty mad, until he bought his own home. My dad and grandpa made all the furniture."

  She led them back through the living room toward the hallway, and pointe
d out the two guest bedrooms. The first one’s door practically opened into the living room, and the second was on the other side of the bathroom. Terra’s room was at the very end of the hall. Aylin let El have the one with the larger closet. Her bedroom was large enough for a queen-sized bed, dresser with a mirror, and a chair in the corner. There was a small nightstand beside the bed and a closet in the opposite corner of the chair. The bed had a colorful quilt spread out and a down blanket folded on the end. "It can get pretty chilly at night here," Terra said when Aylin ran her hand over the blanket.

  "So, we’re going to have to share a bathroom?" El called from the hallway.

  Terra raised an eyebrow at Aylin. "Sorry, it’s not very big."

  "Don’t listen to her. I think it’s perfect Terra. I just love the handmade furniture." She gestured to the four-post bed, each post was a small glossy log.

  "Is there food in that kitchen?" El asked from the doorway.

  "A little." Terra flushed.

  "I’ll see what I can do for supper," El said. "I’m no miracle worker, but I’m sure I can make something edible." She winked at Terra, who glared at her.

  "Good, then Terra can tell us everything that has been going on." Aylin stepped between them before Terra could protest. "For now, I’ll teach you how to protect your home." She led Terra outside. "I’m sorry, I should have shown you this before you left, but I had no idea they’d come out so quickly." Aylin touched Terra’s shoulder.

  "That’s okay." Terra shrugged. "You’re here now."

  "Right. Well, let’s take a short walk into the woods." She led her out to the backyard and into the woods. As Terra watched, Aylin directed her focus at the ground. After a few minutes she stopped and bent down. "Here we are." She picked up two twigs. "Just need…" Her head whirled around until she spotted another twig a few paces to her left. She snatched it up and pulled out a small strand of bright red ribbon from the pocket of her jeans.